Switch



March 933. A. ALSAKER El AL SWITCH Filed May 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w w awn a p n\ I Ma mm; 4

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED ALSAKEB, WELDON O. HAMPTON, AND CHARLES A. KOERNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE DELTA STAR ELECTRIC COIEPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SWITCH Application filed May 4 1931. Serial No. 534,712.

This invention relates to disconnect switches in general and more particularly to such switches as are adapted for outdoor use, on high voltage systems, and preferably gang operated.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a high voltage disconnect switch having a powerful ice-breaking movement, and wherein the bending stresses that are generally produced in the insulators when an attempt is made to open the switch under adverse conditions are entirely eliminated orare reduced to a minimum.

This is accomplished in the embodiment of our invention herein illustrated by constructing the switch so that the contact is twisted free of the blade in such a manner as to impart substantially no stress to. the blade and thereafter the blade is swung to its open position. The arrangement is such that during the twisting or ice-breaking motion the blade is held locked against movement. Also, during the switch closing operation, the switch blade is first swung to its closed position and then, while the blade is held locked in this position, the contact is twisted into firm engagement. with the blade. e

. It is a further object of the present 'invention to provide an improvedcontacting arrangement between the blade and its cooperating contact. A contact jaw is provided at the end of the blade, such'jaw being resiliently mounted upon the end of the blade and spring pressed into engagement with its cooperating contact, the present arrangement being of a more economical construction and the wearing parts more-easily replaceable than in similar contacts heretofore used.

It is a further object of the present in vention to provide an improved switch actuating mechanism for a switch of the above type. mittent gear drive wherein a driving gear, which is continuously operated to open the switch, alternately actuates two driven gears which are arranged to actuate respectively the contact and the blade. Switches of the kind here contemplated are generally gang This mechanism includes ,an inter-' operated, there being three such switches in a three-phase system. Only one of these three switches need be provided with an intermittent gear mechanism. A link and crank mechanism connects the contact actuating insulators of the other two units with the contact actuating insulator of the unit that is provided with the intermittent gear mechanism, whereby all three contact actuating insulators operate in unison. Similar connections are provided between the switch blade actuating insulators of the three switching units of the gang switch.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a switch con-' structed in accordance with the teachings of our invention;

Figure 2 isan enlarged top view of the contacting end of the blade and contact;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the same;

Figure 4 is an end view of the contact making mechanism;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the intermittent gear mechanism; and

Figure 7 isa diagrammatic view showing the layout of three switching units of a gang operated switch.

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figure 1. The switch shown in this figure comprises a grounded supporting base application of Alfred Alsaker, Serial No.

137,926, filed September 27, 1926, although it is to be understood that any other preferred form of hearing may be used if desired. The insulators 2 and 3 are substan tially identical construction and comprise a number of petticoat insulators well known in the art and secured together in the usual manner. An actuating crank 5 is secured-to the rotatable portion of the insulator bearing 4 for rotating the same. This crank may be of any desired construction. We prefer to use a crank such as is shown in the'pending application of Alfred Alsaker and Elias G. Corneliussen, Serial No. 378,337, filed July 15, 1929, in that this permits any desired angular adjustment of the crank with respect to the insulator. A brace 6 connects the free ends of the two. insulators, said brace being mounted at one end on a bracket 7 that is secured to the insulator cap 8 of the insulator 2, and at its opposite end being secured to the insulator 3 by means of a suitable bearing, the stationary portion of which is indicated at 11. The rotatable or spindle portion of this bearing is rigidly secured to the top of the insulator 3 and constitutes the means for actuating the blade, to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

A blade bracket 15 is pivoted at one end about the pivot pin 16 which extends through the bracket 7, and is provided at its opposite end with a socket into which a tubular blade 17 is secured in. any preferred manner. The blade is preferably a duraluminum drawn tube, light in weight and of a comparatively high electrical conductivity. The blade is adapted to be swung about its pivot by means of a connecting rod 20 which is connected at one end to the blade bracket 15 by means of a universal joint 21 and is.

connected at its opposite end to a crank 22 by means of a universal joint 23. The crank .22 is secured to a spindle 24 that is secured to the top of the insulator 3 and is adapted to be rotated thereby, said spindle comprising the rotatable portion of the bearing 11. When the switch blade 17 isin its closed position, as illustrated in Figure 1, the connecting rod 20 is in alin'ement with the crank 22, that is, the crank and connecting rod are in their toggle position or on dead center. Counterbalancing springs are provided for counterbalancing the weight of the movable blade in order to ease the operation of the switch. The counterbalancing springs are located one on each sideof the connecting brace 6 and comprise a cylinder member 28 which-is pivoted to the blade bracket 15 at 29 and through which a rod 30 may-slide.

The rod 30 is pivoted at 31, said rod having swinging motion about the pin 31, but being non-slidable with respect thereto. A spring 32 within the cylinder 28 urges the cylinder and the rod into telescoping relationship thereby counteracting the gravitational effect upon the switch blade. When. the switch is in its closed position, the spring 32 is under an appreciable amount of compression, and it is .the expansive force of the spring thatassists during the opening operation of the switch. A terminal lug 34 is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the brace 2 and connects with a line conductor 35. Suitable flexible braided copper conductors 36 extend from the terminal lug to the switch blade for extending the circuit to the blade and by-passing the pivot 16.

At its free end the blade 17 is provided with a contact making structure which is shown more particularly in Figures 2, 3, and 5, to which reference may now be had. A U-shaped contact strip 40 of suitable conducting material is secured in any desired. manner, as by means of a set of stud screws 42, to a split clamp member 41 that is in turn suitably secured to the end of the blade. The member 41 is provided with a slot 43 formed therein and through which a set .of U-shape spring clips 44 extend. One of the clips 44 is riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the end of the contact strip 40 by means of rivets 4545. The spring members form a resilient backing for the contact strip and firmly press the same into engage. ment with the contact to be hereinafter more fully described. An arcing horn 48 is suit.- ably secured to the end of the blade 17 as- 'by means of a clamp 49.

An insulator 50, which may be of any approved construction, is rotatably mounted upon the base 1 by means'of' a bearing 54 which may be of a construction similar'to the bearing 4 of the insulator 3. The rotatable spindle of the bearing 54 has a crank" arm 55 secured thereto, said crank arm being of a construction similar to the crank arm 5' which is secured to the bearing 4 of the, in-

sulator 3. The crank is connected to suit- "portion of a ball bearing member 61. A

clamp 62 is secured to the outer sleeve or shell 63of the bearing 61, said clamp having a pair of arms which embrace the op-' posite side of the shell.

The clamp is provided with a split sleeve 65 whichis adapted to receive a .line conductor '66 to anchor the same, said split sleeve being adapted to. be clamped to the end of the line conductor 66 by means of a' number of bolts 67. Upon rotation of the rotary insulator 50, the spindle 60, which' constitutes the rotatable part of the bearing 61, is rotated within'the outer shell or sleeve 63 which remains stationary and serves as an anchor for the line conductor 66.

extends from the clamp 62 to a contact structure which is mounted on a portion of the spindle that'extends upward of the shell member 63. The contact comprises a vertically extending shank portion having a pair of spaced arms 71-72 extending upwardly therefrom and joined together at their upper end by a ridge portion 73. The outer surfaces of the arms 71'-72 are curved to a generally cylindrical curvature and are adapted to engage the inner side of the contact strip 40 which is secured to the end of the switch blade. It is to be noted that the width of the contact, that is, the distance between the outer surfaces of the arms, 71 and 72, is appreciably greater than the thickness of the contact. In the form of our invention herein illustrated, the width is more than four times the thickness. When the contact arms 7172 are in their switch open position, that is, in a position at right-angles to that illustrated in the drawings, the outer ends of the U-shaped contact strip 40 are spaced apart a distance appreciably less than the width of the contacts 71-72, said strip 40 being expanded by the contacts against the action of the springs 44 when the contact moves to its switch closed position.

An arcing horn 7 5 is mounted upon the cross member 73 in a position in alinement with the axis of the spindle 60, whereby, upon rotation of the supporting insulators, this arcing horn is rotated axially, the axis of the horn remaining stationary.

In order to open the switch, the insulator 50 is first rotated through an angle of degrees, while the insulator 3 for actuating the blade is maintained stationary. Thereafter, the insulator 3 is rotated to swing the switch blade 17 through an angle of approximately 90 degrees in a direction away from the base 1, the contact supporting insulator 50 remaining stationary at this time.- To close the switch, the blade is first actuated to its switch closed position, the insulator stack 50 remaining stationary, and thereafter the insulator stack 50 is rotated through 90 degrees to wedge the contact arms 7172 into engagement with the contacts at the end of the blade. A description will now be given of the manner whereby this is attained.

An intermittent gear mechanism 79 having a set of gears of the type shown more particularly in Figure 6 is mounted between the channels of the base frame 1. A driving shaft 80 extends from" a suitable switch operating mechanism to the intermittent gear'housing 79 and is keyed to an intermittent gear 82 therein. The gear 82 is of a double deck form having a lower portion which is of a generally cylindrical shape, as indicated at 83, and provided with three gear teeth 84, 85, and 86 projecting outwardly of the cylindrical part 83. The upteeth on the lower portion of the per portion of the gear wheel 82 is of a generally cylindrical shape which comprises a cam portion 88. The camsurface 88 is cut away between the edges 89 and 90.

The gear 82 drives a gear 92 which is also of a double check construction. Two gear teeth 93 and 94 extend the full width or thickness of the gear 92, whereas two other gear teeth 95 and 96 extend upward from the bottom of the gear for only about half of the thickness of the gear. The cam surface 88 is adapted to ride between the tooth 93 and the edge surface 97 of the upper portion of the gear 92 and between the tooth 94 and the edge portion 98 of this gear. the upper cam portion 88 of the gear 82 and are adapted to be acted upon by the gear gear 82. The gear 92 is keyed to a shaft 100, whereby upon rotation of the gear 92 the shaft 100 is rotated.

Upon the opposite side of the driving gear 83 there is another driven gear 92' of a construction identical with that of the gear 92, said last mentioned gear being keyed to a shaft 101. In so far as the two driven gears are of identical construction, similar reference numerals have been used, the reference numerals for the left-hand gear being primed.

The ears are shown in the relative position t at they occupy when the switch is closed. At this time the cylindrical cam surface 88 extends between the edge 98 and the tooth 94 of the gear 92 and between the corresponding surfaces of the gear 92'. The teeth 96 and 96 of the two driven gears are below the upper cam surface of the driving gear. It is therefore apparent that the driving gear locks both of the driven gears against rotation except under the actuation of the driving gear. To open the switch the driving gear is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. After a short amount of turning of the driving gear the edge 89 of the cam surface clears the edge of the tooth 94, thereby permitting rotation of the gear 92. At this same instant, the tooth 84 on the lower portion of the driving gear engages the tooth 96 on the lower portion of the driven gear, and upon continued turning of the driving gear, the driven gear 92 is turned in a clockwise direction. After the driving gear has turned through an angle somewhat less than 180 degrees, the tooth 86 on the driving gear clears the tooth 93 on the driven gear and the driven gear has been brought into a position such that upon continued rotation of the driving gear the cam surface 88 of the driving gear rides in the space between the tooth 93 and the edge surface 97 of the driven gear, whereby the driven gear 92 v is locked against further rotation as the drivlng gear continues to rotate. Durlng The teeth 95 and 96 ride below the tooth 93', and thereafter the cam sur-' face 88 extends between the tooth 93' and the surface 97', thereby locking the gear 92' against further rotation. When the driving gear has been rotated back to the position shown in the drawings, that is, through an anglev of 360 degrees, the two driven gears have been successively rotated through angles of degrees.

The driven shaft 100 that is driven by the gear 92 has a crank secured thereto and a connecting rod 131 connects this crank with the crank 55 that is connected to the rotatable portion of the bearing that supports the insulator 50. In a like manner 7 the shaft 101 that is driven by the gear 92' has a crank 135 secured thereto and connected by means of a connecting rod 136 to the crank 5- that is connected to the rotatableportion of the bearing structure that supports the rotatable insulator 3. By means of these cranks and connecting rods, the rotatable insulators 3 and 50 are rotated in timed sequence upon continuous rotation of the driving shaft 80.

'To 0 en the switch, the shaft 80 is rotated. pon the initial rotation of the shaft 80. the rotatable insulator 50 is first rotated through an angle of 90 degrees while the insulator stack 3 is maintained stationary. This rotation of the insulator 50 moves the contact supported thereby through an angle .of 90 degrees, thereby bringing the contact 'fingers 7172 into a position lengthwise be tween the U-shaped contact stri 40 of the switch blade, rather than crosswise therebetween. This motion is axially'of the contact whereby there is no stress roduced upon the switch blade. This action produces a powerful effect to shear any bind that may exist between the contact fingers 71-72 and the contact strip and is efiective to free the contact fingers from the contact strip 40. After the contact fingers 71- 72 reach their full open position, continued rotation of the driving shaft 80 serves to 1 first look the insulator stack 50 in position,

and thereafter to actuate th insulator 3. This insulator, acting through: the crank 22 and connecting rod 20, serves to swing the switch blade 17 about its pivot 16 to the;

switch open position. To close the switch, the shaft 80 is rotated in the opposite direction. This serves to first swing the morass It has been previously stated that the switch shown in Figure 1 is adapted for gang operation.. In Figure 7 we have illustrated, in diagrammatic form, a switch comprising three units such as dlsclosed in Figure 1. The switch shown in Figure 1 is the A phase switching unit. The B and C phase units are identical to the A phase unit except for the fact that those units are not provided with an intermittent gear mechanism such as provided for the A phase unit. The B and C phase units are driven by connections extending thereto from the A phase unit. A crank is connectedto the rotatable spindle of the bearing 54 upon which the insulator 50 is mounted, and said crank connects with a rod 151 which in turn is connected to a crank 152 that is connected to the rotatable spindle of the bearing that supports the insulator 50 of the B phase switching unit, and is connected to the C phase unit by a connecting rod 153 which is similarly connected to a crank 154 of the C phase unit. The cranks 150, 152 and 154 may be of any approved construction, one

,such crank suitable for use in this connecrial No. 459,914,,filed June 9, 1930. From the above, it is apparent that when the intermittent gear mechanism is actuated to actuate the insulator stacks 50, the various connections with be eflective to simultaneously actuate the corresponding insulator stacks. of the B and "C phase units. On the other side of the switching units, similar connections are .made between the blade actuating insulator bearing of the A phase unit and the other two units, whereby the switch blades-of all three units will be actuated in unison. It is therefore apparent that only one intermittent gear mechanism, such as shown in Figure 1, need be'used for the entire gang switching unit. The crank on the A phase unit corres onds in function to the crank 150 at the ot er end thereof. It is to be noted that the rotatable spindles of the bearings 4 and 54 of the A phase unit also act as bell-cranks through which the transmitting force from the driving mechanism may be transmitted to the cranks 160 and 150, respectively.

Figure 7 shows the positions of the various cranks and connecting rods when the switch is closed. At this time the crank 130 and connecting rod 131 are in toggle position, that is, they are in position of alignment with one another. This means that during the final closing'operation and dur-' ing the initial opening operation, a powerful force will be transmitted from the crank 130 to the connecting rod 131 to actuate the insulator 50. This powerful force is neces sary at this time to overcome the friction between the engaging contacting surfaces and to break any bind that may exist between them. By this arrangement a slow powerful movement is obtained as the final closing of the switch is approached and as the switch opening is initlated. When the switch blade approaches its full open position the crank 135 and the connecting rod 136 will be approaching their toggle Osition, which means that the velocity the rotating insulator stack 3 and therefore of the switch blade will be gradually decreased until, in the final open position, the crank 135 and connecting rod 136 are in toggle and therefore the velocity of the insulator?) and the switch blade 17 is zero. On the other hand, in connection with the blade actuating insulator, the crank 22 and the connecting rod 20 are in toggle, that is, in alignment,

when the switch is closed. This means that during the final closing operation of the blade and the initial opening operation, the movement of the blade will be very slow. As a result, there will be no bumping or jarring action on the blade as it closes, since its velocity is being gradually decreased as it approaches its the crank 22 and connecting rod 20 approach their position of toggle. It is there ore apparent that we have provided an arrangement wherein there is a toggle acting upon the blade as it approaches its full 0. en osition and as it approaches its ful c osed position. This is a very desirable arrangement, since it tends to reduce the velocity of the blade as the blade approaches its limit of motion in'either direction. It is further to be noted that the link and crank controlling the movement of the insulator stack are not in toggle when the switch is in its open position. The toggle arrangement under these conditions is not necessary because at this time there is substantially little force to be overcome in moving this stack. However, as this stack approaches its full closed position, the contact fingers thereon come into enga ement with the contact strip carried by the lade, and further movement nal closed position and of the insulator stack 50 produces a wedging action of the contact fingers. At this time, a powerful force is necessary and it is to be noted that in this position the crank and connecting rod that extends from the intermittent gear mechanism to the insulator stack 50 are in a position approaching toggle whereby this powerful force is obtained.

Incompliance with the re uirements of the patent statutes we have erein shown and described a preferred form of our invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown herein, the same being merely illustrative. What we consider new and desire to secure by. Letters Patent is:

1. The method of operating a switch having a short contact and a comparatively long blade movable into and out of engagement therewith which comprises locking the blade against operation and imparting a twisting motion to the contact to break the bind between it andthe blade, then locking the contact against movement and releasing the blade and swinging it away from the contact.

2. An electric switch comprising a pair of cooperating contact making members, means for moving first one member to its switch open position and then" the other .to its switch open position, said means including means for locking each member while the other is being moved.

3. An electric switch comprising a pair of cooperating contact making members, means for moving first one member to its switch open position and then the other to its switch open position, said means including a driven gear for driving one member, a seconddriven gear for driving the other member, and a common driving gear for the driven gears.

4. An electric switch comprising a pair. of cooperating contact making members, means for moving first one member to its switch open position and then the other to its switch open position, said means including a driven gear for driving one member, a second driven gear for driving the other member, and a common driving gear for the driven gears, said gears being of the intermittent type and comprising an intermittent drive mechanism.

5. An electric switch including a rotatable contact having contacting portions on opposite sides of the axis or rotation thereof, a movable switch blade having simultaneous engagement with both contacting portions and movable away from the contact to the switch open position, and means for opening said switch, said means including intermittent gear mechanism for actuating first the contact and then the blade.

6. An electric switch including a pair of cooperating contact making members movable into and out of engagement with one another, and an operating mechanism effective by a continuous motion to successively actuate both contacts, said mechanism including an intermittent gear drive having a driving gear and a pair of driven gears driven thereby independently of one another and mechanically connected to the respective contact makin members.

7 An electrlc switch comprising a pair of cooperating contact making members mounted for movement in separate planes at an angle to one another, and means for actuating thecontact making members in their respective planes, said means including intermittent gear mechanism having inde pendent driving connections for actuating the respective contact making members.

independently of one another.

8. A switch comprising 'a contact, a switch blade movable into and out of engagement with the contact, means for swinging the blade into its switch closed position, andfor locking the blade after it reaches its closed position and means for thereafter actuating the contact establishing firm electrical engagement between the two.

9. Anelectric switch comprising av pair of cooperating contacts movable into and out of engagement with one another, intermittent gear means for moving one contact, intermittent gear means for moving the other contact, said gear means including a common driving gear and being timed for alternate operation upon continuous operation of the common driving gear.

10. In a switch, intermittent gear mechanism including a driving gear and a pair of driven gears intermittently driven thereby, a pair of movable contact making members movable into and out of engagement with one another, and connections between one of the driven gears and one of the members and between the other driven gear and the other member, for actuating the members.

11. An electric switch including a supporting base, a pair of rotatable bearings mounted thereon, insulators mounted on the rotatable portion of the respective bearings, a contact rotated'by one of the insulators, a switch blade actuated by the other insulator and including a contact makingportion adapted to engage the contact on the opposite sides of the axis of rotation thereof, .and intermittent gear mechanism for successively rotating the rotatable portions of said bearings to successively move the contact and the blade to the switch open position. I

12. A switch comprising a support, a pair of insulators rotatably mounted on the support and an intermittent gear mechanism mounted on the support between the insulators and having driving connections with V the insulators.

13. A switch comprising a support, a pair of insulators rotatably mounted on the support, and means for rotating the two insulators, said' means including common actuating means and a crank and connecting rod extending therefrom to one insu-- lator and a second crank and connecting rod extending to the other insulators, one crankbeing on dead center with its connecting rod when the switch is open and the other crank being on dead center with its connecting rod when the switch is closed.

14. A high voltage gang operated switch comprising a plurality of side by side switching units, each unit comprising a pair of contact making members movable into and out of engagement with one another and two separately actuated insulators for controlling the actuation of the two contacts, driving connections between one set of corresponding insulators of the respective units for moving the corresponding insu-' lators in unison, and driving connections between the otherset of corresponding insulators of the respective units for moving those insulators in unison.

15. Ahigh voltage gang operated switch two separately actuated insulators for con- 1 trolling the actuation of the two contacts, driving connections between one set of corresponding insulators of the respective units for moving the corresponding insulators in unison, driving connections between the other set of corresponding insulators of the respective units for moving those insulators in unison, and means for successively actuating the two sets of insulators to actuate the switch.

16. A high voltage gang operated switch I.

comprising a plurality of side by side switching units, each unit comprising a pair of contact making members movable into and out of engagement with one another,% two separately actuated insulators for controlling the actuation of the two contacts, driving connections between one set of corresponding insulators of the respective units for moving the corresponding insulators in unison, driving connections between the other set of corresponding insulators of the respective units, for moving those insulators in unison, and meanscomprising a driving gear and two driven gears alternately actu-: atedthereby and connected one to one set of driving connections and the other to the other set of drivin connections for actuating the two sets 0 insulators.

17. A high voltage gang operated switch;

comprising a plurality of side by side switch units, each unit comprising two separately actuated insulators controlling the actuation of two different parts of the switching unit, driving connections between the corresponding insulators of the respective units, means for actuating one set of insulators through the driving connections between them and means for actuating the other set of insulators through the driving connections between them. i

18. An electric switch including a blade, a I

rotatable blade actuating insulator, and a crank and connecting rod establishing a driving connection between the two, and means including a second crank and con- 1 meeting rod driving the insulator, one of said cranks being 1n toggle with its connecting rod when the switch blade is in its open position and the other crank being in tog le with its connecting rod when the blade is in its closed positlon.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 1 day of May, 1931.

ALFRED ALSAKER.v WELDON O. HAMPTON. CHARLES A. KOERNER. 

